Escape II
by GraceBonnefoy
Summary: Denmark was left broken after you left. You didn't know that he loved you. You didn't know how much you meant to him. He abused you and you left him. Can he pick up the pieces before it's too late? I do not own Axis Powers Hetalia, Denmark, or any other characters mentioned in this story.


She was always so quiet. She didn't push him away even when he was drunk. She didn't complain when he left her in the morning, and she didn't come running to him when she was hurt or in trouble. She didn't love him.

She never once said that she loved him. She never once asked him to love her. She had that sad smile on her face whenever he was with her. She had a brighter smile when she was talking to those bastards, Sweden and Finland.

He knew that he was always drunk, and when he was drunk, he tended to abuse her. He couldn't stop drinking, though. He saw the bruises he made and the painkillers in her drawer. He tried to quit, but he just became more intolerable, more violent, and she was caught in his fit again.

But he loved her. He was just waiting for her to love him back. He really wanted to be nice to her, a gentle and caring lover. But it just wasn't who he was.

He came home drunk, and had his fit again. He abused her again, and bruised her with his strong hold. He thought that she was trying to say something, or resisting his touch. It pissed him off. So he was rougher than usual, and even beat her when she tried to run.

The next morning, when he woke up with his usual hangover, he saw those bruises again. He knew that it was his fault, and that those bruises were the exact size of his fingers, and he should apologize, but he couldn't. He couldn't bear to see her bruised and battered body, so he ran away again.

He expected her to be at home, waiting for him like usual. He came back home, drunk as usual, and called for her. She wasn't home. She didn't take any of her belongings, but she wasn't home. He stayed awake longer than usual. Hell, he didn't sleep at all that night. She didn't come back.

He went back to drinking the next day. He thought that she would come back when he got back home. She still wasn't home. There was no sign of her return, nothing to indicate that she came back and left again. He cried until the crack of dawn. She still didn't come back.

It was the same routine for almost a week. He thought about going around looking for her, but the thought left him when he thought about her returning when he wasn't here, and thinking that he abandoned her and moved on. He didn't. So except for going to drink at the exact same time that he always did, he stayed at home and waited for her to come back. She still didn't come back.

One day, when he came back from drinking, he found out that she ran away. She took most of her belongings, what little she had, and left him a note that said that she was going away. She told him to not look for her. All that he had left of her was a picture of her inside the locket that he always wore. He broke down completely and cried until he collapsed. His friends found him the next day and brought him to the hospital. But she still wasn't back.

He looked everywhere for her. His life wasn't complete without her. All his friends were worried about him. He drowned himself in alcohol at night when he couldn't hear news about her. He didn't eat food, he didn't sleep, and he didn't smile. He only cried tears of sadness while clutching the locket with her picture and drinking alcohol to forget his sadness. If he drank enough, he would forget about the fact that you were no longer here, and go to his room, expecting you to be there. The room would be empty, unused for months, and the cold reality would strike him down. He would drink again and the cycle would be repeated. She still didn't come back.

Then he got a call from Sweden and Finland. He ignored it after seeing the caller ID, since it wasn't you, but Sweden came and broke down the door. Finland then told him that they heard from (Name), and that she was giving birth. Denmark broke down and cried. Was that the reason why you ran? You fell in love with some other man and got knocked up? Was that why you ran from him without an explanation?

He knew that he probably looked awful, with red-rimmed eyes and a gaunt face. But he immediately took the fastest plane there and ran the rest of the way. A midwife came out of the room, and glanced at him.

"Oh, are you the father? Congratulations. A beautiful baby girl. Don't know if the mother will hold out for long, though."

He probably would have broken down again, if he didn't hear the wailing of the baby. It woke him up from the trance and forced him inside. You were there, softly cooing at the baby to stop crying. You had a gentle smile on your face and looked up with saddened eyes.

When her eyes recognized him, the smile froze and her eyes were filled with fear. It broke his heart to see that you feared him. Didn't you know that he loved you? At that moment, the damn Swede decided to enter.

"Why, Mr. Sweden?"

It was a trembling voice, but it was your voice, and oh, it was beautiful.

"He needed t' see y'. Y' should kno' a' much."

"Please leave."

Was she talking to him, or to Sweden?

"He's been drinkin' an' drownin' himsel' wi' alcohol since y' been gon'. He's no' been human."

"Now."

Denmark broke out of his trance when the door shut after the Swede. He looked at her with pained eyes. There were so many questions that he needed answered. There were so many things that he wanted to say to you.

"Why'd you leave?"

There were so many things that he wanted to ask, like how you were doing, how you managed, where you were living…and whether you loved him.

"…I was pregnant."

Why would she run when she was pregnant? Didn't she know that it was dangerous? Didn't she know that Denmark would protect her? Was it because she feared his wrath when he found out that it wasn't his child?

"Whose kid was it?"

"…Yours, Mr. Denmark."

She was with his child, for Christ's sake! His child! And she didn't even bother to tell him about it! She didn't even bother to tell him, the father! Goddamn it, did she think that he was low enough to abandon her and throw away the responsibility of being a father? Of marrying the woman that he loved?

"Then why did you leave? Why didn't you just tell me? Goddamn it, (Name), did you think that I would abandon you and my child?"

"…"

Her silence was deafening, as if she refused to talk. It pissed him off. Even when he knew that he shouldn't have been shouting at her like that, he couldn't help himself.

"Don't just sit there all quiet! Answer me, Goddamn it!"

"…I was scared."

Now Denmark was thoroughly confused and even more pissed. Why the hell was she scared? What was she scared of?

"What?"

"I did tell you, you know. You were just too drunk to care, or even listen. I tried to stop you but you broke my wrist. You also hit my stomach, too. I, I was too scared of hurting the baby. I accept you with all your violence, all your fits of passion, and all your drinking, because I love you and I chose to be with you. But I couldn't let you do that to our baby."

She told him about it. But he was drunk. Now he remembered their last night, with the painful memory of beating her. Was that what she was trying to tell him that night? Was that the reason why she was resisting him? Because she was scared for her child?

"What the hell are you talking about, woman?"

"You never hold me or sleep next to me. You just take whatever you want, abuse me like I'm a slave, and then leave like nothing happened. I'm fine with that. You didn't notice the morning sicknesses, the dry heaving, and even when I was gone for a few days after you beat me. Do you know why I was gone? I was at the hospital. The doctor said that the baby could have died. Because of you. Because of me. Because I couldn't protect her from you."

He almost killed his own child. He almost caused the death of the life that he created…Just because he was too drunk to listen to you, or even care. The baby could have died. It left Denmark numb and frightened.

"Oh, God. (N-Name)…"

"So I left, Mr. Denmark. And our daughter is still alive. I don't regret leaving, though. I was glad I did."

So she left because of him. She left because he beat her and nearly killed her, their, child. She left so she could protect her child from him, who almost killed her in his carelessness and drunken state.

"I-I'm so sorry, I didn't…"

"It's fine. I don't have much time left, though. So please call Mr. Sweden and Mr. Finland back in here."

What was this crap about not having much time? The midwife said the same thing, too. But Denmark was too numb to register it as anything important. He had a child, and he nearly killed her. His woman ran so she could protect the child from him and his violent ways.

"…Okay."

When Denmark turned to look at you, he saw that you were smiling, as if telling a sad story of a stranger. It was a sad smile, and it wrenched his heart apart. He stepped out of the room and found Sweden and Finland with the midwife.

"Are you certain that she…"

"Yes, I'm afraid. She was a fragile girl, you know. Her bones were broken so many times so it was weaker than an average woman. She was also bruised all over when we first saw her, you know."

"Then I suppose…"

When they saw Denmark, Sweden signaled the midwife to stop talking.

"Did she want us back inside?"

"Yes."

"Let's go, Mr. Sweden."

"Hm."

The walk back to your room was silent. It couldn't have been more than a minute, but to Denmark it felt like months. The months had gone by like years when you weren't there with him. Now he finally found you, and he had a daughter, too. It felt like a dream.

You looked up at the visitors with a sad but pleasant smile on your face.

"Mr. Sweden, Mr. Finland, I would like you to be her godparents. In case something happens to me, please take care of her. I-I…I know that I don't have much time left. Please promise me, promise me that you'll take good care of her."

"W'll tak' g'd car' o' her. Don' worry."

"Yes, (Name)! We'll take good care of her, so don't worry about a thing and get better soon!"

She turned to face him and she was so beautiful, even now when she was so brittle and shaken up from the pains of childbirth. She looked so happy, so innocent, that it broke his heart again and again, punishing him for his abuse in the years that they spent together.

"Mr. Denmark…I hope you know that I still love you, violent or gentle, drunk or sober. I hope you become a good father. But if you can't control yourself, please stay away from her. I love her, and tell her that her mother is in a faraway place, and is watching over her, always."

She loved him. She said she loved him. He didn't know just how much he loved her until she said those words. It was as if he could die and go to hell and he would still be happy because you said that you loved him.

"(N-Name)…"

"I guess that's all. Now, now, little girl, don't be too much trouble, and be good to Mr. Sweden and Mr. Finland. Your father is a great man, whether you realize it or not, and I loved him very much. I love you, my child, and I'll always be looking over you from heaven."

She smiled at him and turned her attention back to the little girl in her arms. She was asleep, like a little angel. He didn't deserve this, he didn't deserve her, and he didn't deserve to be a father, but he couldn't stop staring at the miracle that happened to him.

She left quietly and gently. It was as if she was just sleeping. She was so beautiful, and he wanted to tell her that he loved her too, that he loved her since the moment he laid his eyes on her, and that he would always love her. Sweden gently took the little girl from her form and held her out to him.

"Y'r chil'. Nam' her."

She was asleep, and she looked just like her mother – angelic, gentle, and beautiful. He stared at her in awe for a little while before gently and almost reluctantly took her from the Swede. He was afraid that she'll break.

"…(Name). Just like her mother."

The little child wouldn't be a replacement for her mother. She would be his method of salvation. He will dedicate himself to raising her and being a father worthy of her. She would be his angel, and he was so happy that this miracle happened to him.

"We'll leave you here for a while, Mr. Denmark."

Finland took Sweden out of the room while he stayed behind. He still had to say his goodbye. He had to move on, for the sake of her daughter, their daughter. It would be hard, but he'll do it.

"I promise…I promise to take care of her, (Name). I promise to be a worthy father to our little girl."

Denmark wasn't sure if it was just a trick of light, but your expression seemed to become more relaxed and happy after he said that.

"I've always loved you, too. And I always will, (Name). Good bye."


End file.
